Peril of Catari Revised
by OE
Summary: 'lo again. I've revised the Prologue and Chapter One, combining chapters and basically rewriting. Much of it is still the same good ol' stuff. Read and review!
1. Prologue

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Legal Stuff/Copyrights/Author's Note

Legal Stuff

1. I am not Brian Jacques. I think that pretty much settles it.

Copyrights

The following names belong to me: Catari/Cataractus, Ralpiq/Ralpiqueye/Querall, Queye, Magnabella, Kangal, Kanyker, Shadow Raiders/Shadower, Prikk, Darkon, Friar Wress, Ponnay, Sister Licha, this particular Skipper (Sirenn), Foremole Dygdeap, Cellarkeeper Brissel, Terinn, Crekk, Stamm, Ferall, Berran, Kermy, Reedynn/Reed, and Ellom.

The following do **not **belong to me: Mossflower, Redwall, Martin the Warrior, Guosim, Dibbun, Badrang the Tyrant, and the Inland Sea.

Author's Note

Yeah, sure, I made up the "Eastern Swamp". It's the watermeadow and marshes found east of Redwall in Marlfox. Catari calls them that, not having any better name. The name "the Barren Lands" also belongs to me, but I wouldn't care if you use it, because there's no other real name for the empty plains between the Mountains of the North and the Broadstream.

Thanks for all the reviews! And thanks to Rift Whirlstream, who inspired me to take the story back into hand (paw) and continue writing it. 

- OE

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Prologue

Everybeast knows squirrels, those dashing, red or grey beasts that leap from tree to tree in a wild frenzy to collect nuts for winter. Squirrels have diversity, like most mice and otherwise sensible beasts don't think. They have tradition, religion, and prophecies. Their most famous legend goes like this.

Once, a squirrel lord ruled all of the squirrels in Mossflower. His name was King Cataractus, or as he liked to be called, Catari. He was a just ruler, strong and wise. No one ever doubted his rule, in fact, it seemed like it was meant to be. But perfection is just a figment of the imagination.

No matter how hard he tried to rid all of Mossflower of vermin, there was always one group that evaded his army: The Ralpiqs! The Ralpiqs weren't a united horde, but small bands of the same name that each had separate leaders. To his mistake, King Catari only bothered with them when they did damage to his squirrels. Out of his watchful eye and through the seasons of peace in Mossflower, the groups started to conquer each other, until there was only one big group - the Ralpiqueyes. The leader, Queye, had tacked his name to the end, showing that all of these beasts were his by conquest. Now, Queye was a tactful beast, a tall black stone marten, who didn't hold faith with prophecies and seers and such nonsense.

Queye had always had his eye on the rolling hills and gentle plains and forests of Mossflower, rich with the bounty of food. Now that he had a horde built up, he began plans of attack on Catari's realm. Soon he had a strategy, and he put it to work that fall. The hordes of the Ralpiqueyes marched upon Mossflower. 

One third of the horde, about fiftyscore vermin, all rats, foxes, stoats, ferrets, weasels, and martens, approached the area in which Catari lived. They surrounded it and burnt down many of the trees, and killed all the squirrels they found. They soon came upon Catari, who saw them, and managed to escape. Catari traveled through the forest, and soon found his own small but determined army. He called them up, and they traveled back to the horde for a surprise attack. 

The tactic worked, and the third of the main horde was decimated. When Queye found out, he was outraged. Too angry to think of anything better, he sent the rest of the horde to eliminate Catari and his army. When the two hordes met, there was a massive battle. Catari left a general in command and left to seek out Queye. He soon spotted the stone marten, hanging back with archers to protect him. Catari, seeing his wife's cloak on Queye's shoulders, and his family heirlooms in Queye's hands, went into a mad rage. He leapt from the trees, and Queye yelled for his archers to kill the squirrel. Catari dashed out to the main battle, waving his sword about. He received an arrow in his back, but that didn't stop him. With the Bloodlust upon him, he killed every vermin he could. His army swarmed upon the disorganized Ralpiqueyes.

Queye, determined to kill Catari, ran out into battle. He saw Catari standing on a pile of his dead vermin. He ran for Catari, sword drawn. Catari saw him, and drew his own sword. The two clashed swords and scored several hits each. Queye, though, saw Catari falter, and lose confidence. Queye swung his sword to the left, and Catari failed to block it. The hit left a huge gash on Catari's side. He stumbled, and Queye laughed and swung at him again. But it was too late. While Queye laughed with victory, Catari had lunged and his sword now went through Queye's middle. Queye dropped dead. Catari heard cheers from his squirrels, but faintly. He smiled, knowing he had avenged his family's deaths. He collapsed, and never got back up.

The onlookers gasped. Their leader was dead. Then, something amazing happened. Everyone saw a vision, of Catari getting up, and saying "Hail the Bronze One, the Magnabella!"

Since then, squirrels have divided up, and no longer are apart of one group. Despite this, all squirrels know this prophecy, and seek the Bronze One, the Magnabella.

Now, to the story.

Mossflower's cold wind whipped through the trees over the young pair of squirrels. The anxious male hovered over a lying down female, holding a babe. The small squirrel babe was wrapped in a blanket. The mother opened the blanket, and gasped. The father did too. The baby was…bronze! His fur shone in the sun as the tiny squirrelbabe reached for his father's dagger. 

"Do you think he's…" he stuttered.

"No, he couldn't be…" she said, in natural denial.

"But he's bronze! And look, he's reaching for my dagger. The sign of a true warrior." 

"I think that we should name him Cataractus Daggerpaw."

"Catari, for short."

"Of course."

To their misfortune, at that precise moment, a small band of foxes was traveling in Mossflower. I'll spare you the details, but to make a long story short, Catari was the only survivor. But he was strong. And he wasn't about to give up.


	2. Chapter 1

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Book One

Journey's Start

(also titled: The Bronze One)

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Chapter One

Catari grew up on his own, his only weapon was his father's dagger, which he so longed for as a babe. He survived the seasons, and grew up strong and smart. His rough childhood gave him the knowledge of the lands and the plants.He knew Mossflower like the back of his paw and knew of the tall red Abbey in the western part. He knew of the huge lake in the center, and knew of the island in the middle, and of the legends surrounding it. He knew of the Guosim, and their tribes along the Great South Stream. 

One soft summer day, he heard cheering and yelling and other happy noises coming from the big red building. He decided to inspect. Making his way through the leafy canopy, he soon saw the sandstone to the north. 

Catari swiftly climbed an elm tree, and leapt upon the ramparts. He climbed down to the battlements, and peered at the sight below. Happiness was much in evidence; there were many beasts frolicking below. There were mice, otters, squirrels, even a badger. Moles, hedgehogs, and voles were around too. Tiny babes chased each other around, looking quite sticky. A burly hedgehog was rolling a giant keg of some refreshment across the rolling lawns. Somebeast must've noticed him, as many beasts' heads turned to him. All of the squirrels gasped, and looked helpless, in a way. The badger made its way towards Catari.

"Come down here, young 'un!" it called.

Catari leapt off the wall, and to everyone's surprise, landed safely. He looked boldly into the badger's wide brown eyes and said, "I'm Catari."

The young squirrels were now pulling their way towards him with their parents were trying to hold them back. Catari had no idea why the squirrels were so awed by him. They hung on to him, and Catari was rather enjoying their adoring attitudes. The badger said "Why have you come to our Abbey?"

"I wanted to see why the beasts were yelling and cheering, I heard it from the meadow south east from here."

The badger said "You are welcome to stay, if you'd like. You are always welcome here. I'm Tenda, the Badger Guardian of Redwall."

After Callow's introduction, everyone scrambled to introduce themselves. Tendan hollered for calm, and soon everyone was in a small line, fidgetting with impatience to meet the bronze newcomer.

The first beast was a tall, slender, male mouse. "Hello. I am Father Abbot Reatoll. You are always welcome here, my son."

The line slowly made its way past Catari. He felt welcome in their presence, happy, sort of. He couldn't explain it, even now. He just wanted to live among these peaceful creatures.

Amidst the happiness inside the walls, a dark shadow moved through the trees. A stick cracked. Bitten ears perked up as the cheering of the Redwall feast reached their ears. Somebeast tripped, and yelped quietly. Harsh, whispered reprimands were heard.

"Torneye, shush yore sorry mouth, slobberchops!"

"Aye, sir, I'll make sure to, sir, sorry, yew see…"

"Shut up! The Redwallers might hear us!"

Of course, there was no chance that the Redwallers, enjoying a feast, would happen to hear the vermin lurking about. 

"There it is, mateys, Redwall Abbey. All ours for the taking. Just look at it!"

The vermin looked up with awe at the massive sandstone building. The gigantic building was more than just seasons away from destruction.

"Okay, yew've had yore look. Back to camp, messmates!" 

The camp was set on the shores of the Inland Sea. As the scouting patrol walked through, there were scores of vermin, mostly stoats, weasels, and ferrets, about. Every now and then, you saw the odd rat or fox as a common rank and file soldier, but they would've been demoted from Captain. Because the Chief preferred foxes and rats over stoats and ferrets. 

The Captain of the scouting patrol, Kangal, a tall, confident fox, walked calmly to the Chief's tent, set on a small hill. The blue silk waved slightly in the wind. Kangal strode up to the guards, and said, "I have news for the Chief!"

The huge weasel guarding the tent said, "Go on in, an' make it fast, yew stoopid fox!"

Kangal ignored the insult and walked in. A tall stone marten towered over Kangal. His dark brown fur glistened in the lantern light, making him seem even bigger. A ragged black tunic hung over his shoulders, and was held by a thin leather belt. Into the belt were stuck all manners of blades; throwing knives, hunting knives, skinning knives, straight swords, scimtars, sabers, and cutlasses. A bandolier slung over his shoulder held what looked like small bottles, each filled with a different poison. A quiver hung at his side, and a bow leaned against a tent post. Evil, staring green eyes glared at Kangal from underneath a dark red headband. His ears were tattered and torn, but they still held earrings, all manners of hoops and studs. Around his neck was a small, woven necklace, on which hung a beautiful pure white stone, set into bronze. 

This was Kanyker the Shadow, chief of the Shadow Raiders!

Kangal quivered slightly in awe of his chief, then made his report. "North an' a bit west o' here, me and my scoutin' patrol came 'cross an ole Abbey, Redwall, they call it. They're o'er there makin' a big fuss, a feast or summint."

Kanyker's voice was much more cultured and well-said than the fox's. He calmly replied, "Redwall Abbey? You think I will attack Redwall? Do you even know the history behind that building? Quite a few vermin have tried to take that Abbey and failed miserably. Let's see," Kanyker said, counting on his paws, "there was Cluny, Mokkan, Slagar, Damug, Furgan Bor…you see, there's lots of them. I'm not going to be one of those failed leaders."

Kangal replied, "But yore the Shadow, the top of 'em all! Yew cud bust those stinkin' Redwallers outta there!"

Kanyker's temper broked. He ordered, "Just leave before I behead you!" He pointed out the tent flap. Kangal scurried out.

Sighing, Kanyker sat down. He mumbled slightly to himself. "My Shadow Raiders are complete buffoons. 'Let's attack Redwall Abbey!' Well, if I could pull it off, that would be nice. All I would need to take away is their inspiration, their hope. Hmmm…guard!"

The big weasel stuck his head into the tent. "What is yore will, sir?"

"Go get that rat, Prikk. I want to talk to him."

Kanyker waited for a while. Eventually, the weasel came back, with a disgruntled rat behind him. The rat was dyed completely black, like the rest of the horde, except for the high-ranked officers, Stelks. They were dyed green and brown, to camoflauge. Kanyker had no dye at all, the natural earth tones of his fur were good enough for any stone marten. 

"Sit down, Prikk. Have some wine. It's not poisoned, you know."

The greedy rat slurped thirstily at the cask. He wiped his mouth and said, "So why did yew call me up fore?"

"I'm asking the questions. Now, you've been inside Redwall, correct?"

"Aye, one time. My mateys left me fore dead, and I figgered that sum life is better'n none, so those Redwall ninnies took me in fore three days, 'til I was healed."

"What did they seem to value most?" Kanyker was getting close to what he needed. 

"Oh, that'd be ther Martin the Worrer, or sumthin like that. He's on a great sprawlin' piece o' cloth, a tapestee or sumthin like that. An' they have a great treasure there too, a shinin' sword that can cut through rock!"

Kanyker hid his wonderment, and continued. "Anything else, Prikk?"

"No, notta thing. They got a few odds and ends, but nuthin' else real worth it."

"Thank you, Prikk. You can take that cask with you," Kanyker offered.

Prikk got up, grabbed the cask, and walked out. 

The stone marten sat down and pondered these pieces of information. The "tapestee" Prikk mentioned would be a tapestry, of a Martin the Warrior. And a great sword? If Kanyker had these things, Redwall would practically be his. All their hope gone, their leader, even their beloved weapon. If he had these things.

"Guard!" he called again.

The same weasel stuck his head in the tent once more. "What is yore wish, sir?"

"Fetch Darkon!"

The weasel shuddered visibly as he strode off to carry out his orders, mumbling to himself. "The Darkon? Argh, why did I volunter fore guard tinite?"

The Darkon was a naturally pitch black pine marten, the only other marten in the horde. He was long and skinny, and was armed with a spying kit, containing a padded grappler hook, a small, razor-sharp knife, a thin but strong rope, rolled up bark, a bottle of pine resin, and a small mallet. Darkon made his way back with the weasel to the tent. He went inside.

When the two martens stood, facing each other, Darkon was nearly as tall as the towering Kanyker. Kanyker dismissed this small fact and announced, "Darkon, I have a task for you."

Darkon's throat was cut as a small martenbabe, but he survived and lived to talk, even. But he had an odd accent, not pronouncing m's, b's, or p's, and rolling his r's and stretching his s's. 

"What isss thy will, O 'asssster?"

Kanyker hid his disguist and said, "Do you know of the redstone abbey to the northwest?"

"I do, 'ajessty!"

"Fine. I would like for you to go there. Inside will be a great sword, long and sharp. Take it. Also, there should be a big tapestry. Take this, too."

"Yourr wisssh isss 'y co'and!"

"Leave now, and be back by dawn!"

"Verry well, 'asster!" Darkon slinked out of the door.

Kanyker shuddered and collapsed on a pile of fur. "My job is so disturbing," he muttered quietly to himself, falling asleep.


	3. Chapter 2

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Chapter Two

The two bells of Redwall tolled softly, muted by velvet, for midnight. A black shadow passed, unnoticed, on the ramparts of the walls. Brother Wress, Friar of Redwall, was up late with his helpers, cleaning plates and scouring pans from the feast. They were almost done, and a good thing, too, because one old field mouse had already nodded off and was snoring standing up. Wress gently shook him, waking him up. The fieldmouse, by the name of Ponnay, woke with a start. The cooks kept on scrubbing and Ponnay tiredly joined them.

Meanwhile, the black shadow made its way down the stairs. Knife in hand, Darkon strode swiftly to the Abbey. He peered up, and saw a high window, but with a small decoritive ledge sticking out. He pulled out his padded grappling hook and swung it several times, and finally tossed it up to the ledge. With a small "whumph," the hook slipped, then held. Darkon grasped the rope, and swung his strong footpaws against the wall. Paw over paw, the black pine marten strode up the wall sideways. When he reached the ledge, he was over it in the work of a moment. Next, he pulled out his jar of resin and a slip of bark. He smeared some resin on the bark, and plastered it against the window. Putting both away, he then pulled out his mallet. He hit the window sharply once, twice, thrice. He put the mallet back in the pack, and then carefully peeled away the bark. The broken glass stuck to it, and Darkon dropped it down to the grass below. His long arm reached in and undid the latch. He carefully raised the window up, keeping utmost care to be silent. Snaking it, Darkon noticed the young female badger sleeping soundly on the bed. 

He moved silently, shoulder hugging the wall. Suddenly, his arm hit something, and a long sword, a beautious weapon, fell to the floor with a sharp clatter. Darkon instinctively crouched, and snuck a look at the badger. She grunted, turned over, and was sound asleep. Darkon breathed a silent sigh of relief. Only then did he allow himself a glance at the sword. It was a long, shining piece of metal, with a silver crosshilt, bound leather handle, and a red pommel stone at the end. This must be the sword, Darkon thought to himself. His quick mind told him that there must be a sheath nearby. He didn't have to look far, for the belt and scabbard were hanging right next to the sword. Their black leather and silver edgings matched the sword. He sheathed the sword and slung the belt over his shoulder. 

Darkon silently left the room, and took a left. The hall led him past a few doors with snoring beasts behind them, and took him to a set of stairs. Darkon chose the one going down, figuring that the tapestry would be in the main room, and the main room would be on the first floor. As he came out of the stairwell, he saw that his thinking was right. A glorious tapestry hung from ceiling to floor. It was beautifully colored, and in the very center was a warrior mouse in gleaming armor, cleaning his claws and leaning upon the very same sword that was now on Darkon's back. Vermin were running from him in the background, and others were strewn across the ground.

Judging by the size of them, Darkon decided that the wooden rollers that held the tapestry's top and bottom would be too heavy to carry. So he put down his pack, climbed on top of it, and made a neat slit through the top of the tapestry. As it fell down, he hastily grabbed the bottom roller, cursing his stupidity that had made him forget this important fact. Checking to see that no one had woken up from the wood hitting stone, he cut the bottom part off as well. Rolling it up, he slung his pack back over his shoulder and trotted off - right into Friar Wress!

Wress hastily got up and shouted "Intruder in the Abbey! Get that vermin!" Wress dove after him, and Darkon nastily slashed with his knife, biting deep into Wress's stomach. He groaned, and slipped to the floor. Darkon dashed out the door, and hastily undid the south wicker gate. He swung it open and ran right into a tall, brawny otter: the Skipper of Otters. 

He barked, "You ain't goin' nowhere, matey!" and started to pull out a sword. Darkon swung out the sword he had stolen, and slashed at Skipper's legs. Skipper yelped and stumbled. Darkon made his escape, running swiftly through the trees. Behind him, he could hear someone yelling from the walls: "It's too late! He's out of sight! He's got the tapestry and Martin's sword!"

Darkon laughed viciously, and made his way morecarefully back to the camp. He was back by dawn, as Kanyker had told him to be. He strode through the mass of waking vermin and entered the purple tent. Fortunately, Kanyker was awake, and was in a good mood. Darkon presented the prizes to him.

"Herre'ssss the sssword, and the ta'essstry!"

Kanyker's eyes flew open with wonder as he saw the unrolled tapestry. It was masterful work! A mouse wearing armor stood proudly in the center, leaning on the double of the sword he held and looking down over strewn vermin and a wildcat. This was all boxed in in gold, and in the background was a liking of the beautfiful Redwall. The sword was also a great surprise. It was long and shining, even though the only light was from the slow, gray dawn. The hilt was made of silver and was bound with black leather, and the pommel stone was a round red ruby. It was beautiful, and fit his paw perfectly. Kanyker suddenly cackled with gleeful delight. With these two treasures, Redwall was his!

Sister Licha bustled about between Skipper's and Wress's beds. Wress didn't look so good; the cut was deep and had landed on his stomach. Skipper held more hope; his cut was only on his leg. He might be lamed, or have a limp, but he might make a full recovery. The whole of Redwall were worried about the two, even if in an offhand way.

"Me wanna mista Skippa to be betta so we's can play on da tables!" a small Dibbun otter complained.

"Oi wants Froir Wress to be betta soon, so oi can 'ave sum mo'e of 'is delishush deeper'n'ever turnip'n'tater'n'beetroot poi!" Foremole Dygdeap muttered to herself. 

The Abbot Reatoll called for order at supper that night. "We're all worried about Friar Wress and Skipper, I know. But I have some good news. Skipper will make a full recovery!"

The Cellarkeeper, a hedgehog named Brissel, murmured to the Sister Licha (who was sitting next to her) "Notice he didn't say anything about Wress!"

"Don't whisper a word to anyone, but I don't expect Wress to live." Brissel gasped quietly, and didn't touch his food for the entire supper.

Catari sat next three Redwallers he had gotten to know. Two otter twins, Crekk and Stamm, a boy and a girl, respectively, and a squirrel like himself, Terinn. The twins were sleek, dark mahoghany otters with blue eyes and a wonderful sense of humor. Terinn, a gray squirrel, was quieter, but still outgoing. She was more outgoing then the rest of the squirrels, anyways. To Catari, it seemed like they considered him like a tornado; they stayed away like he was something dangerous. Terinn was the only one who seemed to like him, even. 

"Hey, Crekk, Stamm, Catari, come on! Let's go outside." The three got up from the tables and left the Abbey to sit under the pale moon and shining stars. 

"Pore ole Wress! I 'ope he's doin' better!" Crekk said.

"Aye, me too, matey," Stamm replied.

Catari sighed. "I feel bad. I should've woken up and tried to stop 'im, like Skipper."

"It's not your fault, Catari!" Terinn proclaimed.

"I know, but I sure feel like it. For some reason, I keep thinking I could've stopped 'im."

Terinn persisted, "Come on, 'Tari! Believe me, at least, your friend."

"'Kay, Terinn," Catari said.

"Eh, Catari? Terinn? Take a look at Stamm. . ." The three heads swiveled to the otter.

Stamm was standing up, but her eyes were closed. All of a sudden, her mouth opened, and she said, 

"Beware the one of shadow

Check all the locks and doors

He'll bring you sadness and sorrow

From deep within the moors

The Magnabella leads you to peace

He is my successor to be

Let him retrieve me and my sword

To insure a Redwall victory!

The five that are to go with

Are young and willing to strike

A squirrel of gray, with a red drey,

And two otters with faces alike

Then search along the southern creek

The follower will come to you

Then to the swamps then you must seek

To find, look beneath the misty blue

They shall leave before the light of day

Shall leave with food and no farewell

To the southeast they must stay

Good luck and fortune bid them well!"

Stamm fell to the ground, then got back up again, clearly herself now. Luckily, the poem managed to burn itself into Catari's memory. 

"Why are you all peerin' at me like that, mates?"

"Martin! He spoke through you!" Terinn whispered.

"He did? What did he say?"

Catari recited the poem, and the four began to work it out. 

"Well, we have to beware a Shadow?" Crekk inqueried.

"Maybe that already happened - the burglar?"

"No, because it says check all the locks and doors. He climbed into the Abbey," Terinn corrected.

"Well, 'Check all the locks and doors' obviously means that someone is going to try and intrude through those."

"'He'll bring you sadness and sorrow'? Maybe that means he'll conquer Redwall! And from the swamps, too."

"Moors?" Stamm said

"'Nother word for swamps. Who's the Magnabella?" Crekk said.

"That'd be Catari here!" Terinn proclaimed. "Long story short, he's hailed by all squirrels. Anyhow, 'Let him retrieve me and my sword'? That's definitely Martin. The 'me' he's referring to is his tapestry. And of course, the sword was stolen too," Terinn finished.

"So I have to go and get them? All by my lonesome?" Catari sarcastically whined.

"No, lookie here," Stamm said, not recognizing the sarcasm. "It says 'The five that are to go with', meaning that five beasts go with you!"

"Yah, and three of 'em are you!" Catari pointed out. "Look - 'A squirrel of gray, with a red drey.' A gray squirrel with a red drey - Redwall! You're the only gray squirrel, Terinn. And 'two otters with faces alike'? That'd be otter twins - Stamm an' Crekk!"

"Why, that's right, mate!" Stamm proclaimed.

"But who's the one by the stream, and the one beneath the misty blue?" Crekk asked.

"I guess we come upon them along our way - it says to 'search along the southern creek.' Would that be the Great South Stream?" Catari asked.

"Yep, that's probably right. So that one's probably a shrew, considering they claim that river for themselves," Stamm finished.

"But the 'one beneath the misty blue'? Oh well, I guess we'll find out," Terinn said.

"Why do we have to leave wid out farewells?" Crekk asked.

""Cuz they'd stop us for sure, matey!" Stamm said. 

"I can see it now - Mama sayin' "Git back here right now, you two liddle streamwallopers! Yore not even fit to be a riverdog, runnin' off like crazybeasts," Crekk made a perfect imitation of their mother.

"Well, we'll just have to show them, right, mates?" Terinn said.

"Yes! Martin, have no fear, we'll get your sword back, and your tapestry too!" Catari said.

"Shh! Not too loud, or we will have some farewells! To bed!" Terinn hissed.

"Mateys, we're not gettin' anywhere wid no weapons. I know of a stash in the bell tower - come on!" Stamm and Crekk led the way, for they were once the Abbey Bellringers. The four got up and silently ran to the bell tower. 

After a few flights of stairs, there was a small door. Stamm opened it, and gestured inside. It wasn't much, but it was more than enough for the four friends. Inside were swords, cutlasses, scimitars, daggers, dirks, knives, spears, battleaxes, pikes, javelins, bows, arrows, quivers, and more weapons that the friends did not know the name of. 

"Before we jump into 'em, do any of you know how to sling a knife?" Catari asked, for he had taught himself with his father's dagger, which was still at his waist.

"I do," Terinn said. She picked herself a sharp, clean dagger, perfect for throwing.

The otter twins shook their heads no. "Okay, then everyone pick out a nice, clean, sharp sword," Catari ordered. He himself picked a nice, simple scimitar with a basket to protect his paw. There was a sword belt and scabbard with it, so he undid his habit cord and put on the sword belt. Terinn picked a straight sword, and the otter twins fought over a jewel-studded cutlass, until Stamm decided it wasn't worth the trouble, and picked out a straight sword similiar to Terinn's.

"I suggest we all are armed with some sort of long range weapon," Terinn suggested. She slung a quiver over her shoulder and filled it with arrows. She picked out a bow that matched the quiver's designs. Stamm and Crekk each grabbed a sling and pebble pouch. Catari picked out another dagger to throw, and then picked the same weapons as Terinn did. The three looked at each other, and decided it was high time to go.

Suddenly, pawsteps were heard creaking up the stairs. The four exchanged frightened glances, then leapt into the closet, hastily shutting the door.

Terinn peered through a small hole, trying to see who it was. 

The fat old dormouse, Ponnay, was coming up to ring the midnight bells. Muttering to himself, the elder looked ready to drop off to sleep. As soon as he was past, the friends carefully pushed the door open, and crept down the stairs as the bells rang, muted by velvet. 

Once on the grounds, the four dashed for the south wall gate. As Terinn fiddled with the lock, Catari etched the first four lines of the poem onto the wall, with the letters "GTFMTAMS."

"Wot's that supposed to mean, matey?" Stamm asked.

"Going To Find Martin's Tapestry And Martin's Sword. Do you think they'll figure it out?" Catari replied.

"Dunno, but we gotta leave afore Ponnay sees us!" Crekk whispered hurredly. Just then, the wallgate swung open, and the four disappeared into the night.


End file.
